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Costume Advice

HEXES, FANGS, HOWLS & GEARS

Let’s be honest: you aren't showing up to blend in.

You’re a shadow-dwelling vampire, a gear-toting genius, a sulky werewolf, or a spell-flinging menace—and now you’ve got a party to dominate. This guide is your shortcut to full character fabulousness: from closet raids to eerie glances, we’ve got you covered.

Whether you're summoning spirits, inventing murder machines, brooding under moonlight, or sipping blood from a crystal goblet—you should look like it.

COSTUME LOOKS FOR HEXES, FANGS, HOWLS, & SUITS

Character Types You Might Be

  • The Brooding Vampire Prince(ss)

  • The Wild-Eyed Steam Engineer with Secrets

  • The Chaos-Wielding Court Sorcerer

  • The Shifty Werewolf with Self-Control Issues

  • The Potion-Peddling Warlock in Too Deep

  • The Vampire Socialite Who Bites First, Asks Later

  • The Mechanized Detective

  • The Cursed Hero with a Glorious Cloak

  • The Wolf in Disguise

  • The Witch Hunter Hiding a Hex

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What You Might Already Own

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Vampires:

  • Black or burgundy anything

  • Velvet jacket, button-up shirt, or corset

  • Leather boots or something heeled

  • Anything with lace, drama, or edge

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Sorcerers:

  • Shawls, scarves, oversized coats

  • Tunics, black jeans, billowy layers

  • Costume jewelry that looks like it holds power

  • Your “weirdest” outfit. Yep, that one.

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 Steampunk Humans:

  • Vests, dress shirts, cargo or high-waisted pants

  • Leather belts, goggles, gloves

  • Brown/bronze tones, suspenders, boots

  • Old watches, keys, or tools that look mysterious

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Werewolves:

  • Flannel or distressed tees

  • Boots, ripped jeans, maybe a fur-lined hoodie

  • Leather cuffs or anything primal

  • Layers that look like you maybe just transformed in them

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 Hair & Makeup

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Vampires:

  • Pale foundation, blood-red or black lipstick

  • Smoky eye, subtle blood drips, sleek or tousled hair

  • Bonus: contour like you haven’t fed in 100 years

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Sorcerers:

  • Bold liner, rune symbols (eyeliner works!)

  • Face shimmer or subtle glitter

  • Wild hair? Let it fly. Sleek? Make it sharp.

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Steampunk Humans:

  • Metallic shadow, gears glued to hairbands or jewelry

  • Tousled, swept back, or curled

  • Bronze, copper, or dusty tones to match the palette

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Werewolves:

  • Claw marks (eyeliner or face paint), dark brows

  • Wild curls or messy waves

  • Bronze/highlighter to bring out the animal edge

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Accessories & Props

  • Vampires: Goblet, fake blood, cane, rose, pendant

  • Sorcerers: Potion bottles, wand, crystal, spellbook

  • Steampunk: Goggles, gears, keys, pocket watch, blueprints

  • Werewolves: Clawed gloves, collar, fur trim, “missing” poster of you

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Behavior, Voice, and Vibe

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 Vampire:

  • Speak softly, smile sharply

  • Use phrases like “darling,” “eternal,” or “how quaint”

  • Glide. Don’t stomp. Your entrance matters.

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Sorcerer:

  • Gesture like everything you say casts a spell

  • Interrupt people with “I foresaw this.”

  • Make vague predictions. Refuse to explain.

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Steampunk Human:

  • Twitchy curiosity, distracted brilliance

  • Mutter about time pressure and unstable engines

  • “I built that” is always a power move

​

 Werewolf:

  • Speak short and clipped, like you’re holding something back

  • Sniff the air, glare at loud noises

  • Growl under your breath for dramatic effect

🐺 THE WEREWOLF – The Hairy Situation

Vibe: Rugged, restless, and one full moon away from making everything extremely awkward. Usually charming—but increasingly concerned about tonight’s lunar forecast.

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DIY Look

  • Wear ripped jeans, cargo pants, a plaid flannel, or an old T-shirt.

  • Add a denim jacket, faux-fur vest, or fuzzy cardigan.

  • Tease your hair until it looks aggressively windblown.

  • Smudge brown makeup along your cheekbones, forehead, and jawline.

  • Use eyeliner to create thicker brows, sideburns, or subtle facial fur.

  • Add press-on claws or paint your nails dark brown or black.

  • Slightly tear your sleeves—as if something furry keeps trying to escape.

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Accessories

  • Fuzzy ears attached to a headband.

  • Faux-fur gloves, cuffs, or tail.

  • Dog collar with a tag reading “IF FOUND, RUN.”

  • Chewed-up tennis ball you refuse to explain.

  • Small bottle labeled “Full Moon Emergency.”

  • Lint roller that is clearly losing the battle.

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How to Act

  • Sniff the air whenever someone enters the room.

  • Scratch behind your ear mid-conversation.

  • Growl softly when anyone questions your alibi.

  • Become distracted by sudden noises or food.

  • Check windows nervously for the moon.

  • Insist that excessive shedding is “seasonal.”

  • Refer to the murder as “a territorial misunderstanding.”

  • Become extremely offended when someone calls you a dog.

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Quirks

  • Claims to have an excellent sense of smell but misidentifies everything.

  • Unconsciously circles a chair before sitting.

  • Howls whenever the room becomes too quiet.

  • Compliments people by saying they smell interesting.

  • Denies chasing squirrels despite overwhelming evidence.

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Sayings

  • “I’m not hairy. I’m seasonally majestic.”

  • “The moon made me do it.”

  • “That accusation is completely unfur-givable.”

  • “I don’t have anger issues. I have lunar sensitivity.”

  • “My alibi is a little fuzzy.”

  • “Who’s a good boy? Not relevant.”

  • “I smelled trouble the moment I arrived.”

  • “Let’s not make this a hairy situation.”

  • “I was nowhere near the victim. Probably.”

  • “Full moon? I thought you said full buffet.”

​

⚙️ THE STEAMPUNK HUMAN – The Retro-Futurist Elite

Vibe: Brilliant, important, and dressed as though the Industrial Revolution developed a space program. Whether you’re a government agent, engineer, airship commander, or rocket scientist, you clearly possess classified information and at least three unnecessarily complicated inventions.

​

What Everyone Can Wear

  • Start with brown, black, cream, burgundy, olive, navy, or charcoal clothing.

  • Layer vests, fitted jackets, long coats, corsets, suspenders, or utility belts.

  • Choose leather, tweed, velvet, lace, brocade, canvas, or pinstriped fabrics.

  • Add brass, copper, bronze, gears, chains, buckles, and clockwork details.

  • Wear tall boots, lace-up boots, polished shoes, or rugged work boots.

  • Finish with goggles—on your head, hat, or around your neck rather than over your eyes all night.

​

For a Male Character

  • Pair trousers with a rolled-sleeve shirt, waistcoat, suspenders, or military-style jacket.

  • Add a cravat, necktie, pocket watch, leather gloves, or utility harness.

  • Wear a top hat, newsboy cap, officer’s cap, or aviator helmet.

  • Engineers can add rolled-up blueprints and tool belts.

  • Government agents look sharp in dark fitted coats with brass insignia.

  • Rocket scientists can add protective goggles, formulas, and slightly singed cuffs.

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For a Female Character

  • Wear a high-neck blouse, fitted vest, corset-style top, long skirt, trousers, or structured dress.

  • Add a cropped military jacket, bustle-style overskirt, lace gloves, or dramatic long coat.

  • Layer chokers, cameo necklaces, brass chains, and gear-inspired jewelry.

  • Choose a miniature top hat, fascinator, aviator cap, or elaborate pinned-up hairstyle.

  • Engineers can wear practical trousers, boots, goggles, and a tool belt.

  • High-ranking agents or scientists can add medals, epaulets, gloves, and a commanding cape.

​

Accessories

  • Goggles decorated with gears, tinted lenses, or tiny clock parts.

  • Rolled blueprints labeled “CLASSIFIED ENGINE.”

  • Pocket watch, compass, telescope, or magnifying glass.

  • Clipboard filled with equations and official-looking diagrams.

  • Brass-painted toy tools, gauges, tubes, and mechanical components.

  • Leather satchel containing “government secrets.”

  • ID badge reading “MINISTRY OF ADVANCED MECHANICS.”

  • Metallic-painted water pistol presented as an experimental ray device.

  • Small bottle labeled “ROCKET FUEL—DO NOT SIP.”

​

How to Act

  • Examine ordinary objects and announce possible mechanical improvements.

  • Refer to elevators as “vertical transport chambers.”

  • Speak confidently about engines that do not exist.

  • Check your pocket watch whenever someone wastes your time.

  • Accuse suspicious people of industrial espionage.

  • Describe the murder as “a catastrophic systems failure.”

  • Treat every rumor as classified government intelligence.

  • Demand security clearance before answering personal questions.

  • Draw incomprehensible diagrams during conversations.

  • Mention “the mission” without ever explaining what it is.

​

Quirks

  • Constantly adjusts goggles that serve no practical purpose.

  • Carries blueprints but refuses to let anyone examine them.

  • Claims to have designed the first lunar airship.

  • Uses an absurdly complicated title when introducing themselves.

  • Blames every malfunction on sabotage.

  • Becomes nervous when anyone asks whether their inventions actually work.

  • Measures random objects and records the results.

  • Insists coffee is essential rocket-engine coolant.

​

Sayings

  • “That information is above your clearance level.”

  • “It isn’t impossible. It’s merely insufficiently engineered.”

  • “I’ve already calculated the probability of your guilt.”

  • “Stand back—this device is mostly theoretical.”

  • “The future runs on steam, ambition, and questionable decisions.”

  • “That alibi contains several structural weaknesses.”

  • “I’m not paranoid. I work for the government.”

  • “According to my calculations, someone here is lying.”

  • “The engine didn’t explode. It experienced rapid unscheduled expansion.”

  • “I would explain the mission, but then I’d have to reclassify you.”

​

✨ THE SORCERER – The Dangerously Gifted Spellcaster

Vibe: Powerful, polished, and suspiciously calm for someone capable of turning an enemy into decorative furniture. Unlike the wizard, you don’t study magic—you simply radiate it.

​

What Everyone Can Wear

  • Start with black trousers, leggings, a fitted shirt, or a long dark robe.

  • Choose jewel tones like emerald, sapphire, burgundy, purple, or midnight blue.

  • Add a cape, dramatic coat, velvet jacket, or flowing sleeveless layer.

  • Use metallic belts, chains, rings, crystals, and celestial details.

  • Wear boots and add dark, smoky eye makeup.

  • Include shimmer or metallic accents to suggest barely contained magical power.

​

For a Male Sorcerer

  • Pair slim black trousers with a fitted shirt, vest, or structured long coat.

  • Leave the collar open and add a pendant, amulet, or metallic neckpiece.

  • Wear leather wrist cuffs, rings, gloves, or a dramatic shoulder cape.

  • Slick the hair back—or make it deliberately wild from “magical feedback.”

  • Add dark eyeliner or metallic shadow around the eyes.

  • Carry yourself like the room already belongs to you.

​

For a Female Sorcerer

  • Wear a long flowing dress, fitted jumpsuit, corset top, or skirt with tall boots.

  • Add a sheer cape, velvet robe, dramatic sleeves, or jeweled belt.

  • Layer rings, cuffs, chains, crystals, and an ornate statement necklace.

  • Style hair in waves, braids, a high ponytail, or a dramatic updo.

  • Use smoky makeup with gold, silver, purple, or emerald accents.

  • Add a delicate crown, jeweled headpiece, or metallic hairpiece.

​

Accessories

  • Staff, wand, or crystal-topped walking stick.

  • Glowing orb made from a clear ornament and battery-operated light.

  • Spell book labeled “ARCANE BUSINESS.”

  • Potion bottles filled with colored water.

  • Amulet you dramatically clutch whenever danger approaches.

  • Crystal, tarot cards, or pouch of magical “ingredients.”

​

How to Act

  • Speak slowly, as though every word carries magical consequences.

  • Hold out your hand whenever something dramatic happens.

  • Claim ordinary accidents are evidence of unstable magic.

  • Refer to enemies as “foolish mortals.”

  • Stare intensely at objects as though attempting to move them.

  • Call the murder “a reckless misuse of forbidden power.”

  • Suggest magical solutions to problems that require common sense.

  • Become offended when anyone calls you a magician.

​

Quirks

  • Blames mood swings on surges of magical energy.

  • Claims their eyes glow when angry.

  • Keeps attempting telekinesis when nobody is watching.

  • Gives people ominous magical titles without explanation.

  • Insists their cape moves because of power—not a nearby fan.

​

Sayings

  • “Wizard? Please. I don’t require instructions.”

  • “My power is ancient. My patience is not.”

  • “That alibi contains very weak magic.”

  • “Do not mistake restraint for mercy.”

  • “I didn’t cast the spell. I merely considered it.”

  • “Your energy is chaotic—and not in an impressive way.”

  • “The victim meddled with forces beyond their understanding.”

  • “Stand back. This may become unnecessarily dramatic.”

  • “I could reveal the truth, but where’s the theater in that?”

  • “Magic always leaves a trace. So does guilt.”

​

🧛 THE VAMPIRE – The Eternally Glamorous Predator

Vibe: Seductive, sophisticated, and far too well-dressed for someone who supposedly just climbed out of a coffin. You’ve survived centuries of betrayal, boredom, and tragically underseasoned food.

​

What Everyone Can Wear

  • Start with an all-black outfit: trousers, jeans, leggings, dress, or fitted shirt.

  • Add rich textures like velvet, satin, lace, leather, or brocade.

  • Use burgundy, crimson, silver, or deep purple for dramatic accents.

  • Wear black boots or polished dress shoes.

  • Apply pale foundation with dark shadow around the eyes and cheekbones.

  • Smudge red lipstick near one corner of the mouth for a subtle bloodstain.

  • Add inexpensive costume fangs—or simply smile without showing your teeth.

​

For a Male Vampire

  • Pair black trousers with a white, burgundy, or black button-down shirt.

  • Add a velvet blazer, brocade vest, long coat, or dramatic cape.

  • Leave the collar slightly open and wear a pendant, chain, or signet ring.

  • Slick back the hair—or leave it deliberately tousled from the coffin.

  • Use subtle eyeliner and contour the cheekbones for a sharper, immortal look.

  • For a modern vampire, wear a fitted black suit with a deep-red pocket square.

​

For a Female Vampire

  • Wear a fitted black or crimson dress, corset top, skirt, or sleek jumpsuit.

  • Add a lace shawl, velvet cape, sheer sleeves, or dramatic long coat.

  • Layer chokers, cameo necklaces, rings, and gothic earrings.

  • Choose smoky eye makeup with deep-red, plum, or black lipstick.

  • Style hair in polished waves, an elegant updo, or wild supernatural volume.

  • For extra glamour, add black lace gloves, jeweled hairpieces, or dark nails.

​

Accessories

  • Ornate goblet filled with “Type O Negative.”

  • Antique-looking pendant, key, or pocket watch.

  • Black umbrella for emergency daylight exposure.

  • Old book listing former enemies—or former lovers.

  • Battery-operated candle for brooding in dark corners.

  • Tiny mirror you insist has “never worked properly.”

​

How to Act

  • Speak softly and maintain unsettling eye contact.

  • Study people’s necks, then pretend you were admiring their jewelry.

  • Ask guests their blood type during casual conversation.

  • Refuse garlic bread as though someone offered you poison.

  • Complain that everything was better three centuries ago.

  • Refer to the murder as “an embarrassingly messy feeding.”

  • Enter rooms slowly and wait to be acknowledged.

  • Treat every chair like a throne you personally inherited.

​

Quirks

  • Claims to be centuries old but cannot operate modern technology.

  • Flinches dramatically whenever someone opens the curtains.

  • Knows suspiciously specific details about historical scandals.

  • Says red wine has “pleasant notes of iron.”

  • Becomes deeply offended when anyone comments on their pallor.

​

Sayings

  • “I’m not pale. I’m timeless.”

  • “Garlic bread? Do you want me dead?”

  • “Your pulse is…surprisingly distracting.”

  • “My alibi is immortal. Unlike the victim.”

  • “I haven’t slept properly since 1742.”

  • “The victim had terrible taste—in every sense.”

  • “Please don’t call me old-fashioned. I bite.”

  • “That accusation lacks bite.”

  • “I came for the mystery. I stayed for the Type O.”

  • “Eternity is long. This conversation is longer.”

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© 2006. My Mystery Party, LLC. All rights reserved. Games created by Dr. Bon Blossman.

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